Team Type 1 is now Team Novo Nordisk with an all-diabetes pro-conti team

December 4, 2012

Javier Megias leads a break-away at the 2012 Tour of the Gila

[updated 12/5/2012]

Today on its website the Danish-based pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk announced a partnership with the previously named Team Type 1 founded in 2005 and most recently sponsored by SANOFI. According to the announcement Team Novo Nordisk compromises the entire array of athletes in the organization, “a global sports team with more than 100 cyclists, triathletes and runners who all have diabetes, spearheaded by the world’s first all-diabetes pro-cycling team.”

The press release goes on to say the team “will use life experiences and competitiveness to motivate people affected by diabetes. Throughout 2013, these athletes will compete in more than 500 sporting competitions around the world. The men’s pro-cycling team will compete in races such as the USA Pro Cycling Challenge, the Tour of Britain and the Paris-Tours, with the ultimate goal of joining the Tour de France.

“The new Team Novo Nordisk will only comprise of athletes who have diabetes and will continue to grow the team mission ‘to instill hope and inspiration for people around the world affected by diabetes.’”

Phil Southerland

Phil Southerland, co-founder of Team Type 1 together with Joe Eldridge, said of the new partnership, “As Team Novo Nordisk we want to show the world what is possible with great diabetes control. Between us, Team Novo Nordisk has over 1,000 diagnosed years of diabetes with no complications and we stand for what life with diabetes can be like. Exercise is that billion dollar drug that nobody ever gets prescribed, and in my experience is the best of them all. With appropriate diet, exercise, treatment and technology, anyone with diabetes can achieve their dreams.”

Recruiting new riders with diabetes

Last week the UCI confirmed then-named Team Type 1’s pro-continental status for 2013. Information available on the internet appeared to signal the team’s intention to enter the year with more riders who have diabetes.

Team Type 1 had recently put up a page on the team’s website that read, “Team Type 1-Sanofi seeks active elite cyclists with diabetes for possible inclusion in our USA-based race squad…We currently have six cyclists with type 1 diabetes on our men’s professional squad and are seeking to expand in 2013.” This page is no longer available as a new website is under construction.

The text continued with an invitation for “elite level competitive road cyclists between the ages of 16 and 29 with a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, however recent or old” to forward a resume to the team.

By late November cycling media outlets had already reported the pro-conti team added at least three riders with diabetes for the 2013 season.

Velochronolists on its transfers page four additions to “Team Type 1-SANOFI” for 2013. This includes Belgian Kevin de Mesmaeker of the Van Der Vurst Cycling Team who according to Cyclism’Actu, citing Het Nieuwsblad, was recently diagnosed with diabetes. Two riders of the four, Andrea Ciacchini and Thomas Raeymaekers, rode on the Team Type 1-SANOFI development team in 2012. Ciacchini has Type 1 diabetes. While ProVéloPassion has not confirmed that Raeymaekers has diabetes, it’s likely since the goal of the development team has been to groom diabetic riders. Andrea Peron is the fourth rider on Velochrono’s list, and a Cyclism’Actu report indicates the Italian rider who rode for Cyber Team V.c. Breganze has Type 1. The team has not confirmed the status of these riders but a report by Cyclingnews listed 17 riders for the 2013 roster.

At least thirteen of the team’s 23-man 2012 roster have been identified as leaving the team after 2012; none of these riders has diabetes. The previous Team Type 1-SANOFI website listed five riders from the 2012 roster as having diabetes. They are: Fabio Calabria, Joe Eldridge, Javier Megias, Alex Bowden and Martijn Verschoor.